NAIROBI (Xinhua) -- Kenya is developing health and safety protocols
to boost livestock exports, an official said on Wednesday.

Harry Kimutai,
principal secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock,
Fisheries and Irrigation, told an agricultural forum in Nairobi
that currently Kenya’s livestock cannot access the lucrative
overseas markets due to high prevalence of animal diseases such
as foot-and-mouth disease.

“The protocols will
ensure that livestock meet stringent standards imposed by
importing countries,” Kimutai said during the Commercial Bank of
Africa Economic Forum.

Kimutai said that
Middle East countries such Saudi Arabia and Oman have already
expressed interest in purchasing live animals from Kenya.

He said that the
livestock will be quarantined at the Bachuma Livestock Export
Processing Zone before they are exported.

The government has
already set aside 1 million U.S. dollars to develop the
livestock exporting processing zone, which will be operational
by June 2019, Kimutai said.

Kenya will use the
public-private-partnership model to expand production of the
livestock sector, he said.

The ministry also
plans to amend the Branding of Stock Act to allow for the
introduction of the Livestock Identification and Traceability
System (LITS), Kimutai said, noting that the system will help
enhance food security.

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EARLIER
REPORT:

Kenyan poultry farmers slam
importation of cheap chicken from U.S.

NAIROBI (Xinhua) -- Kenyan poultry farmers on Wednesday protested
against a recent importation of cheap poultry products into the
country from the United States.

The farmers said
that the importation of cheap poultry products was inconsiderate
of the prevailing situation within the poultry sub sector.

“The importation
threatens local farmers since it could force them out of
business,” Humphrey Mbugua, manager of Association of Kenya Feed
Manufacturers, told journalists in Nairobi.

The farmers revealed
that a recent importation was suspicious since attempts to bring
the products into the country failed, forcing the importers to
ship it to Zanzibar, repackage and deliver to the Kenyan market.

Mbugua said that it
is unfortunate that the imported poultry products are those that
cannot be consumed in the U.S..

“It is important
that we appeal to the government to put in place measures that
could help farmers produce poultry for export and local
consumption,” he said.

The farmers called
for a balanced trade between Kenya and foreign countries to help
contribute to food security, creation of jobs, reduction of
poverty and inequality.

They cautioned the
government against importing poultry products from
agriculturally developed countries to help avoid exposing local
poultry to outbreaks of Avian Influenza.

He challenged the
government to develop a fair trade guideline within the East
African region since to date, some countries have free access to
the Kenyan market but restrict Kenyan poultry from accessing
their market.

The farmers also
recommended that feed millers be given opportunity to import
duty free yellow corn to help increase the number of poultry in
the country.

“We need to adopt
Genetically Modified (GMO) maize that is already grown and
consumed globally to help improve the chicken feeds industry,”
the farmers said.

The farmers also
called for the introduction of contract farming into growing of
soya beans, sunflower, sorghum, millet and cassava to add in the
animal feeds industry.

“The new approach
would change the fortunes of farmers through cheaper quality
inputs and benefit consumers in terms of constant availability,
and eventually cheaper products,” said Mbugua.

According to Francis
Wanderi, a poultry farmer in Dagoreti in the outskirts of
Nairobi, production of broilers is high due to the high price of
electricity.

“Coupled with the
cheap imports into the country, the sub sector is likely to
collapse if farmers are not protected by the government.”
Wanderi said.